Complicated
by someone twice
Summary: Kou Kitano and best friend Gon Freecss have just started high school. After a rough, informal introduction, Kou already despises new kid Killua Zoldyck, but Gon seems to have taken a liking to him. Feeling like a third wheel, Kou leaves the pair to enter the library, where she meets avid book-lover, the popular Kurapika Kurta. A battle of love and friendship quickly ensues.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

* * *

I quietly slide open the door to the classoom, my heart racing and a knot in my stomach. Of course, everyone looks to see who's entering.

"Kou!"

An excited Gon runs up to me and jumps on me with open arms, and I instantly calm down.

"It's been a whole two days since I've seen you!" he cheers, tugging on my blazer. I laugh, following him back to the desks he already picked out for us. I set my bag down and look out the window to the left. The clouds are bright white and slowly rolling past. I look back to Gon, who is already peeking into his lunch box.

"What did you bring on this special day?" I sarcastically ask, turning in my chair to face him. He opens up the lid.

"Gyoza," he grins. I lean over and look in. Six large dumplings are tightly crammed in the box.

"Gyoza? That's all you brought? Not even rice?"

"Just gyoza."

Gon snaps the lid shut with a very satisfied face.

"Mito-san spoils you too much," I scoff, pushing my hair back over my shoulders. His flashes his teeth, and starts dancing around in his seat.

"I can't wait to see who our teacher is this year," he says, eyes darting around the room from face to face. I pull out my schedule and find the homeroom teacher's name.

"Mi-fu-ne. What do you think they'll be like?"

"Mean!"

"I sure hope not. We had enough meanness from mister what's-his-face _last_ year."

The chatter of the students quickly hushes as a rather short woman enters the room. Her dark brown hair is pulled tightly into a perfect bun that rests on the back of her head, and hot pink reading glasses rest on the collar of her daisy-patterned shirt. She looks at us with a smile and draws in a short breath.

"Good morning, students," she greets in a mellow tone, "My name is Ms. Mifune. I'm your homeroom teacher for this year. I do hope we can all get along."

I glance at Gon and give him a look, to which he nods. So far, she doesn't seem bad.

"Now, before we get started, I–"

Before she can finish her sentence, the door slams open, and a tall boy with snow-white hair trudges in, skateboard in hand. He makes his way to the back of the classroom, throws his things on the empty desk next to Gon, and slumps down in the chair with a grimace plastered on his pale little face. The whole classroom is dead silent.

"...As I was saying," Ms. Mifune continues seconds later, clearly startled, "I would like for us to introduce ourselves by saying our names."

"Miss, we're in high school now. No one cares," a girl in front calls out. Mifune eyes her, clears her throat, and calmly places her hands on her desk.

"_I said I would like for us to introduce ourselves by saying our names_," she, quite unexpectedly, hisses through her teeth with an annoyed smile. She arrived less than five minutes ago and is already going insane.

We start going around the room with everyone saying their names in dry, monotone voices. The line gets to Snow White, who I've so far dubbed, who's messing with his pencil. He looks up, and meets Mifune's glare.

"Your name, boy who has already wrecked havoc in my classroom."

"I barely did crap," he says, rolling his eyes. She glares at him longer, and sighs, looking to Gon. Just as Gon opens his mouth, the boy sits up in his chair and speaks.

"Killua Zoldyck."

Everyone's heads are turned to look at him. He continues fiddling with his pencil.

_Killua? That's strange. Snow White fits much better._

Mifune clears her throat again. The eyes are returned to her for just a moment, and then find their way to Gon.

"Gon Freecss! Nice to meet you!" he chirps, waving his hand. Giggles erupt all around, and die down as the attention falls on me.

"Uh..."

My heart is pounding as a million eyes stare at me.

"Your name, miss," Mifune says, tapping her pen.

"R-Right, um... K-Kou Kitano," I squeeze out, my face burning. Some chuckles escape, and I feel like hiding. Mifune nods, and diligently writes my name down on her clipboard, looking over her list. The classroom begins to quietly buzz as she waves for free time. I see Gon turn to me out of the corner of my eye, so I do the same.

"What do you think? She seems pretty scary!" he says, scratching the back of his neck.

"I like her," I shrug, swinging my legs back and worth. I peek behind Gon.

"What about Snow White over there?" I quietly whisper, leaning in, my eyes flashing to and from their faces.

"_Snow White?_ You mean him?" he blurts out like a complete idiot, pointing behind him. Of course, the boy looks, with a very irritated scowl.

"Don't call me Snow White," he mutters, staring directly at me, "Didn't you hear my name, moron?"

My face becomes hot again, and I punch Gon's arm.

"You talk too loudly, you idiot!" I scold, quickly turning around in my seat so I completely face the window.

_How mortifying... Gon's such an imbecile..._

I hear snickering from behind, and look over my shoulder ever so slightly. It's Snow White, laughing to himself.

"H-Hey, sh-shut up..." I stutter, in a small voice of embarrassment. He looks up at me with bright blue eyes, illuminated by the sunlight behind me. Gon shifts awkwardly in his seat.

"Did you just tell me to shut up?"

"...Y-Yeah? And?" I say a bit louder, gaining a sliver of confidence. Gon moves his chair back.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" Snow White hisses, pointing his finger at me.

"Um..."

My tiny, tiny burst of confidence is immediately squandered by his powerful voice.

"You're talking to a Zoldyck, one of the most richest, powerful families in the world. I suggest you keep your stupid mouth shut," he says, crossing his arms and sitting back in his seat. Defeated, I awkwardly look away and out of the window, up at the clouds that still slowly move past.

_A rich snob isn't someone we want to associate with anyways..._

Gon, clearly uncomfortable, softly chuckles, and pulls out origami paper from his book bag. I start absently doodling on my notebook, looking nowhere but down.

"...What're you making?" I hear from my right.

_The princess speaks._

"Eheh, well, I've just started learning how to do this, so I'm just making a basic crane," Gon explains. I listen as he loudly folds his paper.

"My butler taught me how to make a butterfly, but that's all."

"You have a butler? That's cool!"

"Yeah, he's pretty great..."

They start chatting away together. I dig my pencil into my paper and create harsh lines, until I finally just scribble in circles. I place my pencil down with a heavy sigh and rest my chin on the palm of my hand. In my peripheral vision, I can see them smiling and I can hear them laughing. I tune it all out and get lost in my thoughts.

_Everyone likes Gon and Gon likes everyone._

Gon and I met the first day of middle school.

I still remember him wandering around aimlessly like a dumbass.

_"Um... Are you lost?"_

_"Yeah, eh... I'm looking for room 2A!"_

_"Oh, that's my homeroom, too. I'll take you there. Uh, if that's okay..."_

_"Yeah! Thanks!"_

And we've been two odd best friends ever since. He's sweet, naive, serious when it's important and goofy when you need a smile, and I liked that about him. He's got two things in mind; his next snack or meal and his dad, who no one's seen since Gon was born. I try not to ask about it, but it's hard not to be curious. Gon's simple, and I like simple people. I've had too much complication in my life. He's refreshing.

...Which is why it irks me to listen to him getting along so well with that annoying rich kid. I can already tell he's complicated, if not extremely.

"Kou!"

Suddenly, I whip around. Gon wears a huge grin on his face, and it seems Snow White has disappeared.

"Killua is so _cool!_" he exclaims, "We're going to hang out during lunch. He said he'd teach me how to skateboard!"

"That's... That's really great, Gon. I'm glad you made a new friend," I say, forcing out as much enthusiasm as I can. He tilts his head to the side.

"Is something wrong?"

"No! –Uh, no. No, nothing's wrong. It's all good."

"...Oh, okay! You're going to hang out with us, right?"

He looks at me with his puppy dog eyes. The guilt trip is always his go-to method.

"Uh, s-sure..."

_Bad idea... It's going to be so uncomfortable..._

"Yay! It'll be so much fun!"

"Gon... Did you not hear how he spoke to me just a couple of minutes ago?" I mutter, eyeing him.

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean it. You just didn't know!"

"I don't see why it has to matter where he comes from. He doesn't have to be so rude... And you didn't even back me up! You just let him yell at me!"

"I-I'm sorry, Kou..." he quietly says with a face of slight confusion. The bell rings, and everything becomes louder and louder. He stands up, and starts to gather his things.

"I'll see you at lunch!"

He waves, turns and starts walking away.

_He usually waits for me._

I sluggishly pack up my things.

_No, you're totally over-analyzing this. He's your _best friend_. No one is changing that. Not on my watch._

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

* * *

I nervously open the door to the roof, where Gon told me to meet him and Killua. We're technically not allowed to be up here, and knowing that Gon isn't one to break rules, I know it must've been Snow White's idea. I cringe as the door shuts loudly behind me.

"Kou!" Gon calls out, waving at me. I shyly smile, hating the fact that I have no say in whether or not that snob can hang out with us. If Gon says so, there's no arguing. You won't get your way, not with those doe eyes of his staring into your soul.

"Look, Kou! Killua's teaching me how to ride a skateboard," Gon says, one foot on the board. He lifts his other foot onto the deck, and awkwardly wobbles back and forth like a baby deer learning to stand. I glance at Snow White, who looks back at me with dull, uninterested eyes. He quickly looks away, just as Gon falls and catches himself with his feet. The skateboard rolls away and hits the cement wall surrounding us. Killua jogs up to it, with Gon close behind.

"Here, Gon, like this."

Killua places his foot onto the board and swiftly stands, straight and solid like a rock. Gon studies the stance closely.

"Now, you try."

He steps off and gestures for Gon to practice. I walk to the bench where their things are, and take out my lunch.

_This is so boring._

I take a bite of my sandwich, and watch Gon fail and attempt for a few minutes, with Killua quickly instructing the 'correct' ways. The sun is beating down upon us, and I can already feel myself sweating. I really don't like being outside on such hot days, mostly because I can pass out from heatstroke. I pause, taking another look at the two, and shove my sandwich back into my box.

"Gon. Gon!" I yell from my spot.

He quickly turns around.

"Yeah?"

"...I'm going to go inside."

"Whaaat? Why?"

"Um, it's too hot to function. And..."

_And I'm bored as hell. And I really don't like your new 'friend'._

"And yeah. I'm just burning up out here."

I feel Snow White's eyes trained on me.

"Oh, okay. Do you want me to go with you?" Gon asks, moving towards me as I sling my bag over my shoulder.

"No, it's okay. I know you were looking forward to hanging out with him," I say, looking at Killua. He looks away, and starts messing with his skateboard. A lump starts to form in my throat.

"Okay, then. I'll see you in class!" Gon chirps. I wave, and turn to walk away. I feel a pit in my stomach, like my heart has fallen.

_Some first day..._

I hurry down the stairs, my shoes tapping loudly, and enter the halls. They're are littered with remnants of food and drink containers, and unknown girls and boys chatter loudly amongst each other. I feel extremely anxious and uncomfortable alone, but I couldn't ask for Gon to go with me. He was having too much fun.

_Where do I go now?_

I glance at all the signs hung around for different rooms. There are many club rooms, and their attendees are hanging around the entrances, fretting over the upcoming chess competitions or piano recitals. I feel like everyone's staring at me; and while in the back of my mind I know it isn't true, it's all I can think about. Hesitantly, I pull open the door to the library. It's surprisingly empty, except for the librarian and a rather handsome blonde boy sitting by himself at a table, book in hand. The librarian looks at me, and motions to a journal sitting on the counter in front of her.

"Please sign in," she says in a soft, mellow voice. I do so, and walk around, looking at all the books stacked around. I place my bag on the table next to the boy, and pull out my jacket.

_It's freezing in here, but I guess it's better than being outside in the heat._

I sit down, and pull out my lunch box.

"Ah, no eating in the library," the librarian quietly and quickly calls out, like she was waiting for it to happen. I let out a sigh and shove it back in my bag. I glance at the boy, whose eyes haven't moved from the text.

_"Akira's Principles."_

I don't read often, but that one was one of my all-time favorites, a recommendation from my aunt Nami. She said it was amazing. I wasn't let down.

I look at the boy again, not-so-discreetly. This time, he looks up and meets my gaze, but quickly sticks his nose back into the pages.

_Is he shy or something?_

I think about sitting next to him, but concluded it would be awkward and uncomfortable for both of us. Besides, I'm certainly no extrovert. I'd probably come off as more annoying to him than friendly, especially when he's so absorbed in such a great book. What kind of person would I be to distract one from reading?

I shift my eyes to the right, at the clock hanging on the wall. There's still a little over thirty minutes of lunch left, and I'm stuck here alone in the freezing library. I decide to pick out a book from the fiction section. As I scan over the titles, I see one that catches my eye.

_Look at that. Another one of Nami's "must-reads"._

I select _A Silent Spark_ from the shelf. The dark, navy blue cover is worn and bent. I flip through it, and musk rises from the old wrinkled pages riddled with water stains.

As I sit down again, book in tow, I can see the boy peering at me from the corner of my eye. He softly clears his throat.

"That's a good one," he murmurs. I look, and make eye contact with him.

"O-Oh. Yeah. I heard it was good."

He nods with agreement, and before returning to his book, I speak up.

"...That's... _Akira's Principles, _right? My aunt and I love that one."

"Yes, it is. I really like it so far. The plot is quite intriguing."

"Isn't it? And the way the author writes it makes it just all the more interesting."

We ended up talking until the end of lunch.

"What I haven't quite figured out yet is why Akira wouldn't take the gift from Masaki. Wasn't that what she wanted?"

"Oh, I remember that! I can't say anything, though, because that would be spoiling one of the best parts."

When the bell rang, he shut the book, and neatly placed it in his bag.

"An intelligent conversation is always refreshing," he says, pushing in his chair.

"Indeed."

"By the way, I'm Kurapika. A third year."

_A third year? Wow. Makes sense._

"Kou. First year."

"Are you, now? You're quite mature for your age, then."

"...I get that a lot," I shrug, messing with a loose thread on the end of my sleeve. He looks at me a little longer, and lets out a breath.

"Well, then, Kou, I'll see you around."

"Ah, yes. See you around."

With that, he leaves, and I giddily rock back and forth on my heels.

_That wasn't so bad at all._

I make my way into the halls again, dodging body after body.

_He seems complicated. The good kind._

After school, I sit on the bench beneath the large maple tree out in front of the school, where Gon and I agreed to meet to walk home together. I turn my head as I hear his voice, but my smile quickly fades as I see Snow White ambling along next to him.

"Hi!" Gon says gleefully, stopping in front of me. I wearily stand up.

"Is... Is he coming home with us?" I ask, trying not to sound too offensive or disappointed.

"No," Killua says, answering for him, "I have business to take care of at home."

Guiltily, my heart jumps a little with relief.

"Oh," I mumble, "Alright, then."

He waves at Gon, glances at me for a second, and turns around, walking away from us with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Killua told me his family is really mean," Gon whispers as we begin to walk.

I nod, "Mm. Well, he isn't the only one with a 'mean' family."

Gon makes small face of sadness, focusing his attention on his footsteps. All is mum but the wind rattling the leaves on the trees.

"I hate him," Gon says. I don't say anything, for I have no energy to start _this_ conversation.

"Well, he's still locked away right now, so... It doesn't matter if you hate him or not. He's gone regardless."

"But... Didn't you say he was... Getting out soon?"

I take a deep breath.

"Three months."

I check to see if his fists are clenched, which they are, and I can't help but smile.

The sun is already beginning to fall from the sky.

* * *

**Just for clarification, the titles used in this chapter are made up, but, for a little 'spoiler', they will be referenced often in upcoming chapters.**

**Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

* * *

I push open the doors to the library. This time, rather than just two people, there is a man, sitting next to Kurapika. He wears small rounded glasses and has dark spiky hair, that kind of reminds me of Gon's. I nervously walk up to the table.

"Hello, Kou," Kurapika greets upon noticing me, "Have a seat."

I smile, and set my things down. The man looks at me, and smirks.

"Oi, who's this, Kurapika?" he loudly asks. The librarian quickly shushes him, to which he makes a rude face.

"Shut up. Leorio, this is Kou, a first year. Kou, this is Leorio, a third year."

"Hi. Nice to meet you," I shyly say, anxiously smiling.

"_First year?_ Didn't know you went for little kids, Kurapika," Leorio snickers, sitting back in his seat. Kurapika swiftly pinches his cheek.

"Shut. _Up. _You make too much noise," Kurapika snaps without hesitation.

Awkwardly, I speak up.

"Um, Leorio... Are you really a third year? You look like at least a college student..."

"He failed last year and had to repeat," Kurapika explains, still tightly grasping Leorio's skin despite his cries of struggling and discomfort. I can't help but laugh a little.

"Only 'cause I played hooky too much," Leorio mutters, rubbing his cheek after breaking free.

"And because you're an idiot."

Leorio scowls at him, "Tsk."

"So, Kou," Kurapika says, turning to me, "Have you progressed in _A Silent Spark?_"

I quickly dig the book out of my bag and hold it up, my bookmark sticking out.

"Halfway through it. I would've finished if I wasn't occupied by chores."

"What do you think so far?"

"I really like it. I've never read a book where the narration is done by an inanimate object."

"Yes, I do like that aspect of it. It oddly makes sense."

Leorio lets out a loud sigh.

"I'm going to head out. Can't handle this much _nerd talk_," he says, jumping out of his seat. Kurapika rolls his eyes.

"Will you be present next class, or do I have to lie to Ms. Mizushima again?"

Leorio pauses for a minute.

"Maybe," he laughs with a wink, turning away with his hands in his pockets. I look back to Kurapika.

"That fool..." he mutters, shaking his head.

"You two have a pretty nice dynamic, I'd say," I smile, flipping through the pages of my book. Kurapika chuckles.

"Would you? We're usually at each other's necks."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Because he is an idiot."

The clock is very quietly ticking, and the sound of the librarian swiftly typing on her laptop emits from behind me.

"He wants to be a doctor," Kurapika begins, "But he doesn't try in school. He rarely shows up, and when he does, he never does anything in class. It's a wonder he's even made it this far."

He sits up in his seat, and slides his book to the side.

"At first, I tried pushing him as much possible, trying to get him to see that if he really wants to be a doctor, he needs to study hard and show up to school. But after numerous failed attempts, I stopped."

I started chewing on my bottom lip. I never would've thought Leorio wanted to be a doctor.

"There's only so much you can do. If the person doesn't respond to your help, there's no point in wasting your time and energy. Now I just let him do as he pleases."

"Doesn't it make you sad, though? Knowing that at this rate, he won't be able to be a doctor?" I ask, leaning forward. He looks at me, and sighs.

"I suppose. It _has_ been a childhood dream of his."

He pauses.

"...That being said, it's _his_ dream. Not mine."

"Why does he even want to become a doctor, anyway?"

Kurapika lets out a breath, and begins tapping his index finger on the tabletop.

"It's a complicated story. But, a friend of his contracted a disease, one that was quite curable. However, the family lacked the funds to afford the surgery, and he, well... died."

"That's so sad..."

"Yes, it is. Leorio may seem like a narcissistic idiot, which, in some ways he is, but he's genuine. He wishes to become a doctor to help the poor."

"How noble of him. I never would've guessed..."

"No one would've," Kurapika says with a chuckle. He picks up _Akira's Principles_ again, and flips to a page.

"May I continue reading?"

"Oh, am I boring you?" I joke, reaching for _A Silent Spark_.

"_No_, of course not. But I've just been itching to finish."

"Go ahead. Me too."

We read for the rest of the duration of lunch. When the bell rings, we quickly pack up our things.

"Where's your next class?" Kurapika asks as we walk out of the library into the sea of students.

"Um, room 6A. Algebra."

"I'll walk you there."

My heart starts pounding for some reason.

"But you're a third year. Won't you feel weird going into a hall full of first years?" I mumble while we dodge bodies.

"Not as long as you don't feel weird about being seen with a third year," he laughs. I giggle, tightly holding on to my bag.

Kurapika holds open the doors to the first year hall, and gestures for me to enter. As we walk together, eyes are on us, and people begin to whisper. I spot Gon and Killua ahead, and awkwardly look away.

"Look out."

Kurapika pulls me away by the waist, just as I'm about to run in to someone.

"Oh," I nervously mumble, "Um, thanks."

"No problem."

We continue walking to my classroom. Gon notices me, and waves.

"Kou! Oh, who's this?" he asks, his smile fading a little as he notices Kurapika.

"Oh, uh, Gon, this is Kurapika," I quickly introduce, my eyes shifting to and from Gon and Killua. Snow White just turns away and trudges into the classroom. The bell rings a second time.

"Nice to meet you," Kurapika says. They shake hands, and I can tell Gon is a little awestruck.

"Nice to meet you!"

The bell rings a third time, and I wave to Kurapika.

"See you tomorrow, Kurapika."

"See you tomorrow, Kou," he says with a sweet smile. He pauses, and then walks away. I hurry into the classroom, with my face hot and my heart pounding. Gon moves his bag as I sit in the desk next to him.

"Kurapika seems nice," he whispers as the teacher goes over the lesson plan for today.

I nod, "He really is."

I look at Killua, who's looking back. He turns away.

* * *

When the last bell rings, I meet up with Gon. Of course, his new little friend is there.

"Kou, Kou!" Gon calls, "Guess what?"

"What?" I ask, walking up to them. Killua starts fiddling with his skateboard, clearly uninterested.

"Everyone's talking about you! About you and Kurapika," Gon explains as other people walk past. The sun is already beginning to set.

"What? Why?"

_But of course I know._

"Because you were walking with him, and he's a third year!"

"Ugh, I knew it would cause a commotion. But I don't get why. It's not that big of a deal. We're just _friends_."

"It's generally unheard of."

I meet eyes with Killua. He's suddenly decided to be somewhat interested in what I have to say.

"What? Being friends with a third year? I don't see why it has to matter."

"Kurapika's really popular! Everyone knows him," Gon chimes in. Killua turns away again.

"...Really? I didn't think he was," I mumble, pushing my hair back behind my shoulders.

_If he's so popular, why does he sit alone in the library? Shouldn't he be surrounded by people?_

"He's _the_ top student of his class. Along with his intelligence, he's pretty handsome," Killua says.

"Why are you suddenly talking to me? I thought you hated me," I scoff, making a face. He doesn't reply, but looks away. Gon checks his watch.

"We should start heading home, Kou," he tells me. I nod in agreement. He says his goodbyes to Snow White, and we begin the short walk back home. My thoughts wander to _him._

"Gon, do you think that maybe I won't have to go back with him, when he gets out?" I quietly ask. I can see him looking at me.

"...I hope not."

"Mito-san won't let him, right?"

He stops walking. I look back at him, and his face is ridden with sadness.

"I don't know," he whispers. His lip starts quivering.

"It's okay," I mumble, picking at my fingernails, "It's kind of funny. We both have parent issues."

The sky is bronze and bright.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

* * *

I bolt up, sweating and panting. My eyes quickly glance at my clock.

_3:28 AM... You've got to be kidding me..._

I raise a shaking hand to my forehead.

_I'm burning up._

I rip the covers off of me and swing my legs over the side of the bed, and hop off. As I stand, my knees shake and I feel myself going dizzy.

_I need water._

I wobble to the bathroom and feel around for the light switch. I flick it up, and squint at the sudden brightness. I reach for the cup on the side of the sink, turn the faucet and fill it up to the brim. I take long gulps, and in that moment I've never been more grateful for water. I place the cup down and stare at my reflection in the mirror.

_Yikes. I look dead._

My hair is in tangles and knots, and I have the darkest bags under my eyes. Thankfully, my eyes aren't bloodshot this time.

_Why does this keep happening? It's always the same thing, over and over._

The images of his raised hand flicker in my mind, and I flinch, even though he isn't anywhere near. I pull my shirt down just a little, just to expose the off-colored thick line across my collarbone. I trace over it with my finger, and quickly let go of my shirt.

_I don't want this again._

I look at myself for a few more seconds, and leave the bathroom. I walk to the window and peek out the curtains. The moonlight is bright and beaming through, and everything is illuminated so serenely like a beautiful painting. I let the curtains fall and hop back onto my bed to crawl under the blankets. I close my eyes, and try to control my breathing.

_Think of nice things. What makes you happy?_

Faces and things float through.

_Gon._

I see his grinning face, with his arms welcoming.

_Mito-san_.

I see her at the stove, looking back at me with a gentle, motherly expression.

_And..._

I see Kurapika, softly turning the pages of a book, and I see him smile at me with kind eyes, see him walking me to class, and I hear his tender voice.

I squeeze my eyes closer and blink a couple of times.

_Crap... I'm crushing too hard..._

After my heart slows, I snuggle into the covers. I peer to the right at the clock. 3:52 AM.

_I mean, at least I'm not stressing over _him _anymore_.

A few minutes pass by and I feel myself fading.

* * *

"Rise and shine!"

I awake to Mito-san raising the curtains. Lights pours in and temporarily blinds me. When I don't move, she swiftly rips the blankets off of me, and I shiver.

"Mito-san..." I whine, pulling my legs close to my body. She puts her hands on her hips.

"It's time to get up! You have school!" she says. I groan at the thought.

"Can I just stay home?"

Asking is pointless as I already know the answer, but it's worth a shot.

"Of course not. Education is important."

"Is it _really_, though? I don't even know what I want to do with my life," I mutter, reaching for the covers. She yanks them off of the bed and gathers them in her arms.

"And school helps you figure that out. You're _going_, whether you like it or not. It was the one thing your mother asked me to do," Mito-san says, her tone serious.

"You always have to bring my mother into it. I barely even remember her."

"It doesn't matter. You're going, Kou. End of conversation. Get ready."

She swiftly turns away and walks out the door. I sigh, and sit at the edge of my bed.

_Who even cares anymore..._

I stand up, and make my way to my closet. I pull out a freshly pressed uniform and slip it on piece by piece, feeling stiff and odd. I check my appearance in the long mirror hanging on the back of my door, and smooth out the plaid skirt.

_I look stupid._

I head into the bathroom and brush my teeth. The taste of mint stings my mouth. I hear Mito-san call my name from downstairs, so I hurriedly forced a brush through my hair.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

I shove _A Silent Spark _into my bag and rush down the stairs. Gon is already at the table, casually munching on breakfast.

"Good morning!" he chirps, mouth full of food. I grimace at the sight.

"Don't talk with a mouth full of food, Gon," Mito-san scolds. Gon quickly swallows and grins in embarrassment.

"Aha, sorry..."

I chuckle and sit down.

"I'm not hungry this morning, Mito-san," I tell her, just as I see her about to fix a plate for me. She looks over her shoulder.

"Are you sure? Your brain needs energy."

"I already brushed my teeth."

She gives me a look, and sighs as she places the plate down on the counter next to the sink. She pauses for a minute, and then reaches into the pantry.

"At least take this," she says, tossing me a banana, which I barely catch. Gon stands and grabs his backpack. Mito-san gives us each a kiss on the head, and sees us off.

On the walk to school, Gon starts kicking a rock.

"Kou?"

"Yeah?"

He doesn't say anything for a second, and then kicks the rock across the street. It bounces off the concrete and tumbles along the sidewalk, before coming to a stop.

"Mito-san told me that if your dad wants to take you back, she has to let you go with him. So you can't stay with us."

His voice falters a bit, and I look up to the sky, to the clouds.

"Well, now that's... That's a problem..."

We walk the rest of the distance in silence.

_What else could I have said?_

When we arrive at school, I spot Killua sitting on the bench in front of the tall maple tree. He glances up and sees Gon, and stands to wait for us.

"Good morning, Kil-lu-a!" Gon cheers in a sing-song voice.

"'Morning, Gon."

He looks to me, and I quickly look to the ground.

"...'Morning."

My head shoots up, and he's scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh, um... Good morning..."

He nods a little, and Gon forces out a small laugh. The pair lead the way, and I awkwardly amble behind them, looking around the halls for signs of Kurapika. I spot his blonde head, and prepare to pass him. Just as he's coming up, I notice a girl standing by him, talking.

_Oh. Uh. Just keep walking._

I turn my head to the left to make sure he doesn't see me.

"Kou!"

I stop, and Gon and Snow White stop with me. My heart immediately starts pounding as I turn around to face him.

"Kou. Good morning," Kurapika greets, fixing his hair. The girl he was talking with stays put, watching us.

"Good mor— Good morning, Kurapika," I nervously choke out. He tilts his head a little with a smile, and then proceeds to reach into his bag. I look behind my shoulder, and Gon and Killua have already moved along.

"I was hoping to see you," he says, "I have something to give you."

_'I was hoping to see you.'_

"Oh? What?"

"Perhaps it is wrong of me to assume you've already finished _A Silent Spark_, but I've brought you a book I'd like you to read."

"Actually, I did finish it. Last night, in fact."

"Perfect. I discovered this novel a few towns over in a small bookshop."

"_In Two Years Time. _Nice. What's it about?"

"It follows the story of two young lovers who plan to run away together. It's written by an American author. I thought you might want to check it out. I haven't read it yet, so I can't say it's good or not."

"It sounds interesting enough. I'll start on it at lunch."

"Yes, that'd be great. Tell me what you think."

"Kurapika!"

The girl calls out to him, and he nods to her.

"I'll see you later," he says, with a small wave. I agree, carefully slide the book into my bag, and quickly head to my homeroom without giving him or her another look. Gon and Snow White are already seated, chatting away. I take my seat next to Gon, and he turns to face me.

"What did Kurapika want?" he asks. I see Killua's face appear from the side of Gon.

"Oh, he had a book he wanted to give me to read."

"Really? Cool! What book?"

"It's called _In Two Years Time, _I believe."

"...Oh?" Killua murmurs. He leans over his desk on his elbow to get a better look.

"...What?" I quietly mutter, suspicious.

"_In Two Years Time_ by that American author, right? Marilyn something-or-other. I read that a couple of months ago," Killua says, a rather smuggish look on his face. I squint my eyes.

"Really now? What's it about, then?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Hm... A couple who's planning to run away from their families, I think. Memory's sketchy."

_Ugh... Why is he suddenly being so _friendly?

"You read that book, Killua? Was it good?" Gon chimes in.

"Meh, wasn't too bad."

"Nice coincidence! Right, Kou?" Gon grins, looking at me. I smile as enthusiastically as I can.

"Uh, yeah."

_Uh, I don't really care. I refuse to have anything in common with him._

Ms. Mifune slides open the door and walks in, and the buzz of the classroom dies down.

"Good morning, class," she announces, setting her purse down. Today, her hair is pulled up into a perfect bun. As she takes attendance, Gon taps on my shoulder. When I look, he points to a small crumpled piece of paper on my note.

"It's from Killua," he quietly whispers. I slowly open it.

_'They die.'_

"You—"

"You _asshole!_" I yell, jumping up from my seat with a finger pointed straight at that disgusting _snob_.

_...Shit._

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

* * *

After a heavy scolding from Ms. Mifune about swearing in her classroom and 22 faces staring at me and laughing, I lay my head on my desk in complete and utter embarrassment.

_That was definitely one of the most humiliating moments of my entire existence..._

My eyes peer up from my spot, my head hidden behind my backpack. The clouds are feathery and swift, and a thin, straight line runs among them from the back of an airplane.

_I feel stupid._

My face is still hot from the mortifying experience. I feel like everyone is still looking at me, even though they've most likely already forgotten about it and moved on to the latest gossip. Someone lightly taps on my shoulder, and I shift a little.

"What?" I groan, assuming it's Gon.

"Sorry."

The voice does not belong to my Gon, but a little snob who I'd much rather punch in the face.

"Go away," I mutter, covering my whole head with my arms. My backpack falls off of my desk and slams on the floor, and I cringe at the noise.

"...Just so you know, they don't actually die. I just wanted to see your reaction. I didn't think you'd freak out so much. So, sorry."

Killua's footsteps trail off, and I tighten my little cocoon.

_Sorry? Ugh. He's an idiot._

I peek out from my cave and spot him, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. His head is down.

_He looks stupid._

He glances up for a moment, at me, and I bury my head again.

_He's stupid._

A few minutes pass, and the bell loudly rings. I slowly sit up and stand and grab my things, with Gon waiting for me. Killua joins us, averting my eyes, and I meander behind them, my bag slung over my shoulder.

Two and a half hours later, the sound of the lunch bell fills my ears. I struggle through the sea of people and make my way to the library to meet with Kurapika.

_The one thing I have to look forward to of the day. Too bad it never lasts long._

I stumble in through the doorway, and the librarian kindly looks at me before returning to her diligent typing. I look at the table where we always sit, and see that it's empty.

_Why isn't he here? He's always here before me._

I set my bag down and sit in the wooden chair. The air is cold and still in here, and I yank my jacket out. Seconds later I spot Leorio approaching me.

"Yo. Kurapika wanted me to give you this," he says. He hands me a neatly folded piece of paper.

"I've got places to be. Later!" he grins, and waves before quickly heading out. I open up the note.

_"Kou, I won't be at lunch today as I have a very important... meeting to attend. I'll see you tomorrow. - Kurapika x"_

My index finger lightly rubs the scratched out word between 'important' and 'meeting'. I sigh, and put my head down again.

_I guess I could read, but... I don't know, it's not that fun without Kurapika._

I take out the novel Kurapika gave me earlier and flip through the pages. A strong musk rises from it; the nice old book smell I love. The pages are surprisingly extremely thin and delicate, and there is obvious wear and tear. I take note of the water stain on the last few pages.

I tuck loose strands of hair behind my ears and turn to the first page. My eyes scan through a few sentences, not processing any of it, and my brain shuts off.

_Eh... I'll save it for when Kurapika's here. I can't focus at all._

I shove the book back into my bag and zip it shut. The clock on the pillar by me continuously ticks, and it feels like it gets louder each time. I smooth out the folds in Kurapika's note and study his handwriting.

_So tiny. It's tinier than mine. It's pretty._

I stare at the symbols of his name. That part looks rushed and squished, yet still pretty. I unzip my bag, stick two fingers in between random pages of the book, and slip the note in to preserve it.

_...Is that creepy? Nah..._

I fiddle with my pencil. There's still forty minutes of lunch left.

_Perhaps I could go find Gon?_

I gather my things and stand.

_Ugh, stupid Snow White will be there. But I guess it's better than sitting here alone..._

I head out of the library and make my way through the halls. Cliques are spread around everywhere, and I try not to make eye contact with anyone. I pass former friends and familiar faces, but none of them notice me at all. As I hurry up the stairs to the roof, my shoes tap loudly on the linoleum. I push the door open and already hear the two laughing.

"Ah, Kou!" Gon calls out upon seeing me. I smile and walk over to him. Killua watches me.

"I thought—"

"Don't you stay in the library for lunch? What are you doing here?"

I look into Killua's eyes. His hands are on his hips, and he's slightly bent forward.

"Kurapika wasn't there. So I came here. For _Gon_, of course," I say, rolling my eyes. Killua glares at me.

"Well, Gon and I were in the middle of something, so—"

"I don't _care_, idiot."

_...Where did that come from!?_

"Hey, hey, how about we all just eat a snack..." Gon nervously interrupts, waving his hands at the two of us. I let out a heavy sigh.

"No, no, fine. Sorry for coming, then. It just sucks being alone," I mutter, turning around and walking away.

_Gon is _my_ best friend. Mine! Right?_

My eyes tear up.

_But why does it feel like he's so far from that right now? We live together. We do everything. Why is it that whenever Killua is around I feel so out of place?_

"Hey. Kou."

I stop at the sound of my name.

"I'm sorry, alright? Can we just be cool or something? All this arguing is getting _boring_. It's _lame_."

I whip around and see Killua walking towards me with his hands in his pockets. He pulls one out and outstretches it to me.

"Shake on it?" he asks, with a very slight but noticeable smile.

_W-What? _

"...Uh..."

"...Or not."

"No, just... I haven't had time to think at all. What is this? Don't you hate me or something?"

"Why would I hate you? You had me convinced _you_ were the one who had a problem."

"I thought you had a problem with me, because I called you Snow White!"

"No?"

"You called me a moron!"

"Did I?" he snickers, scratching the back of his head. I roll my eyes in annoyance.

"Yes, on, like, the first day of school, and from then on I've just tried to keep my distance from you, since I was sure you didn't like me," I explain. He plucks a loose strand of his bright white hair from his jacket.

"Nah, I don't really care anymore. I only had a problem because it seemed like you had a problem."

"Well, then I guess we're the same."

He offers his hand again.

"Truce, then?" he asks. I look at his pale hand. It looks so bony and fragile, and delicate to the touch, like the pages of my book. Reluctantly I join hands.

_It's so... soft. Strange._

"Yay!" Gon cheers in the background. He runs up to us, and pats Killua's back. I quickly change the subject, not wanting to discuss any more.

"G-Gon, do you know what we're having for dinner tonight?"

He shakes his head, "Uh uh. Mito-san said it was a surprise."

"She knows I hate surprises..."

He chuckles, and I join him.

"Can we eat now?" Killua interrupts, back to his pissed-off tone. I follow the two back to where their things are and place my bag next to theirs, and pull my lunch out. Killua's munching on a chocolate bar and Gon's taking a bite of Mito-san's dumplings.

_I'm relieved. I'm relieved. _

I smile to myself and dig in.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed!**


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